Latch



Jam 28, 1936- G. E. RoEDDlNG LATCH Filed Feb. 2s, 1954 Patented Jan., 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE LATCH Application February 23, 1934, Serial No. 712,531

' 5 Claims. (Cl. 292-221) The present invention relates to latches; and its object is, generally, to provide an improved latch having means for securely holding the latching bolt in operative engagement with its keeper, and

means for nevertheless easily retracting the bolt from such engagement; and more particularly, to provide a latch having such a bolt, a slide bearing, bolt-moving means connected to the bolt and slidable in the bearing to opposite positions wherein said means moves the bolt to operative and Ato retracted positions respectively, together with means for urging said bolt-moving means to one position in the bearing whereby the bolt is held in operative engagement; and means for l5 moving the bolt-operating means to an opposite position in the bearing whereby the bolt is moved to retracted position; and also to provide resilient means for yieldingly but securely holding the bolt in operative position.

These and any other and more specific objects hereinafter appearing are attained by, and the invention nds preferable embodiment in, the illustrative structure particularly described -in the body of this specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a central sectional View oi?Y a latch mounted in the closure of a door and of its keeper mounted in the frame of the door, the latchlng bolt being shown in retracted position;

Figure 2 is a like View of the same but showing said bolt in operatively engaging-position with the keeper; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view of parts of the latch taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2.

The latch shown by the drawing comprises a base member or housing l seated in a cavity 2 in the free edge of the doors closure 3 and held therein .as by screws 4. Pivoted at 5 in this housing base, the latching bolt 6 is swingably movable through the housings opening 'I into projected operative engagement with its keeper 8 mounted on the doors frame 9. Means design ated generally I0 for moving the bolt comprises the elongated member I9 pivotally connected at I3 with 45 the bolt and the member or pin I4 slidable in the y bearing, the slots- I5, in the opposite walls I6 oi the housing. Said elongated member I9 comprises a pair of sides 20 having longitudinally eX- tending slots 2| through which the pin member I4 extends as seen in Figure 3.

In the position f the parts shown in Figure 2,.

said bolt-moving means IIJ extends at right angles to the bearing I5 so that the bolt 6 is held in projecting position engaging its keeper; but when said means l0 is moved downwardly, its elongated member I9 turns on its pivotal connection I3 on the bolt, and its other member, the pin I4 slides downwardly to the position seen in Figure 1, so that by reason of the inclined disposition of the Ybearing I5 the axial or longitudinal direction of the bolt-moving means IIJ is now inclined relatively to its direction when the bolt is projected (Figure 2) Thus the bolt is projected and held in projected position when the pin member I4 is in the upper end of said bearing, and is retracted and held in retracted position when said pin member is in the lower end of the bearing.

A spring I1 presses between member I9 and the abutment or ledge I8 of the housing' to urge said bolt-moving means I0 upwardly and its pin member I4 to the `upper end of the bearing I5 and thus hold the bolt projected as shown in Figure 2; and suitable hand-operated means for moving means Il! downwardly and pin member I`4' to the bottom of said bearing as shown in Figure 1, to thus retract the bolt, are provided, such means as shown being the plunger I I slidable in bearings I2 and pushed downwardly by the lever handle 22 fulcrumed at 23 and having opposite portions 24 either of which may engage the head 25 of the plunger to press it downwardly against its spring 26.

When the closure 3 is slammed shut, the pin member I 4 being in the upper end of the bearing I5, the outer edge portion 2'I of the bolt 6 rides n on the keepers high point 28 thus swinging the l bolt inwardly and compressing the stiff spring 29 pressing between the pin member I4 and the stop or abutment 30 of the elongated member I9 and sliding this member inwardly toward the pin I4; and when the extreme edge portion 3| of the bolt passes below the keepers high point `2B this spring 29, being thus permitted to expand,

22, this spring 29 functioning only to yleldingly r hold the bolt outwardly into operative engagement with the keeper. It will thus be seen that although this latch securely holds the closure shut, the closure may nevertheless be opened with very little eiort.

The invention being intended to be pointed r out the claims, is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embediment thereof; illustrated by the drawing or hereinbeiore described.

I elaimz' 1. A latch structure comprising: a baise; a latching bolt pivotally mounted thereon for projecting and retracting movements; an elongated rst member pivotally connected with the bolt; a second member having a limited movement relatively to said rst member in the longitudinal direction thereof; a bearing in the base wherein said second member is slida'ble, said bearing being so disposed that the sliding movement of said second member toward one end of the bearing projects the bolt and said second members sliding movement in the opposite direction. retracts the bolt; means for yieldingly holding the bolt in vprojected position.

2. A latch structure comprising: a base; a latching bolt pivotaliy mounted thereon for pro-- jecting and retracting movements; an elongated first member pivotally connected with the bolt; a second member having a limited movement relatively to said rst member in the longitudinal direction thereof; a bearing in the base wherein said second member is slidable, said bearing being so disposed that the sliding movement of said second member toward one end of the bearing projects the bolt and said second members sliding movement in the opposite direction retracts the bolt; means for yieldingly holding the bolt in projected position; means for yieldingly urging said second member in the direction to project the bolt.

3. A latch structure comprising: a base; a latching bolt pivotally mounted thereon for projecting and retracting movements; an elongated rst member pivotally connected with the bolt; a second member having a limited movement relatively to said rst member in the longitudinal direction thereof; a bearing in the base wherein said second member is siidable, said bearing being sov disposed that the sliding movement of said second member toward one end of the bearing projects the bolt and said second members sliding movement in the Opposite direction retracts the bolt; means for yieldingly holding the bolt in projected position; means for yieldingly urging said second member in the direction to project the bolt; means ior sliding said second member in the direction tcretract the bolt.

4. A latch structure comprising: a base; a latching bolt pivotally mounted thereon for projecting and retractng movements; an elongated rst member pivotally connected with the bolt; a second member having a limited movement re1- atively to said first member in the longitudinal direction thereof; a bearing in the base wherein said second member is slidable,` said bearing being so disposed that the sliding movement of said second member toward one end of the .bearing projects the bolt and said second members sliding movement in the opposite di- I direction thereof; a bearing in the base wherein said second member is slidable, said bearing being so disposed that the sliding movement of said secondfmember toward one end 0f the bearing projects the bolt and said second members sliding movement in the opposite direction retracts v the bolt; means for yieldingly holding the bolt in projected position; means for yieldingly urging said second member'in the direction to project the bolt; a plunger slidable to a position engaging said elongated rst member for moving said second member the direction retractng the boltd GORDON E. ROEDDING. 

